Rep. Jay Obernolte, U.S. Congressman representing California’s 23rd district since 2021, announced on July 16, 2025, that the HALT Fentanyl Act—a bill he cosponsored—was signed into law and highlighted recent drug enforcement actions in Kern County.
In a tweet posted at 20:24 UTC on July 16, Obernolte stated: “Today, the HALT Fentanyl Act, a bill I cosponsored and have been fighting for over the last several sessions of Congress, was signed into law – a critical step in the fight against the opioid crisis. This bill ensures fentanyl-related substances are classified as Schedule I”.
Later that evening at 22:00 UTC, Obernolte congratulated federal and local authorities for their efforts in a major drug bust: “Congratulations to the DEA and local law enforcement for seizing over 240 pounds of crystal meth and 151 gallons of liquid meth in Kern County. This operation took down five traffickers and dealt a major blow to the drug cartels’ ability to poison our children. I’m committed to”. He also included a follow-up link in another post at the same time: “https://t.co/RG0QHLDsza”.
Jay Obernolte succeeded Paul Cook as representative of California’s 23rd district after serving in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2020. Born in Chicago in 1970, Obernolte currently resides in Big Bear Lake and is an alumnus of California Institute of Technology (Caltech), graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1992.
